1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the presentation of Internet and DSS data, and more specifically to displaying a graphic user interface that facilitates a user""s ability to access DSS programing, Internet information, or a combination thereof.
2. Related Art
Over the last few years there has been a growing demand for entertainment systems that facilitate a user""s ability to access multiple broadcast, information, and entertainment mediums. One type of broadcast medium is a broadcast satellite system such as a digital satellite system (DSS). DSS typically includes an antenna, an integrated receiver decoder (IRD), a television receiver (TV), and a remote controller. DSS may additionally include an analog video cassette recorder (VCR) that receives analog data for recording purposes.
In operation, the antenna receives digital bit streams from a satellite and routes the bit streams to the IRD. Typically, the digital bit streams include sensory data (e.g., video and/or audio) and programming data for one or more shows. The IRD receives the bit streams from the antenna and decodes the bit streams into data that can be presented to a user via the TV. The user selects which portion of the decoded data is transmitted from the IRD to the TV through actuation of the remote controller.
One type of information and entertainment medium is the Internet. The Internet may be accessed by a user through an Internet terminal system such as a WebTV Plus system. The WebTV Plus system typically includes a TV, an Internet terminal interconnecting the TV to the user""s phone line and the user""s cable line, and a remote controller that can be actuated by the user to control what information is presented on the TV by the Internet terminal. In addition, the WebTV Plus system may also include a wireless keyboard and a printer.
In operation, the Internet terminal receives cable-based broadcasts from the user""s cable service provider via the user""s cable line and receives Internet data from the user""s Internet service provider via the user""s phone line. The user selects how the received information is displayed on the TV through actuation of the remote controller.
Currently there exists a need for an integrated DSS/Internet system that permits a user to view DSS channels, local cable-based and/or terrestrial-based channels, and Internet data in a seamless fashion. Furthermore, there is a need for an integrated DSS/Internet system having a graphical user interface that facilitates the user""s ability to access and/or simultaneously view DSS programing and Internet Web sites.
To address the shortcomings of the available art, the present invention includes an integrated DSS/WebTV receiver that is communicatively connected to an Internet service provider, a DSS service provider, and (optionally) a local broadcast station to provide a display of DSS programs, Internet web sites, and local broadcast channels in a seamless fashion. The DSS/WebTV receiver generates a graphical user interface (GUI), displayed on a television screen, for facilitating a user""s navigation through the DSS, Internet, and local broadcast data. The GUI includes user-selectable icons for filtering and/or selecting the received data, a scrolling ticker region for displaying information about upcoming DSS events and providing access to related Internet web sites, and a decimated video region for displaying, in reduced form, DSS programs that are currently being broadcast.
In one advantageous feature of the present invention, an apparatus for displaying information on a television is provided. The apparatus includes circuitry (e.g., a DSS processing element such as an AV1700 chip or an equivalent circuit) that receives wireless television communication signals, the wireless television communication signals including sensory data (e.g., audio and video data) and programing data related to the sensory data, circuitry (e.g., an Internet processing element such as a QED/Solo ASIC or an equivalent circuit) that receives computer network communication signals, and circuitry (e.g., an Internet processing element such as a QED/Solo ASIC or an equivalent circuit) that processes the received wireless television communication signals and the received computer network communication signals such that the received wireless television communication signals and the received computer network communication signals can be displayed on the television.
In another advantageous feature of the present invention, a method for displaying information on a television is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving wireless television communication signals, the wireless television communication signals including sensory data and programing data related to the sensory data, receiving computer network communication signals, and processing the received wireless television communication signals and the received computer network communication signals such that the received signals can be displayed on the television.
In a further advantageous feature of the invention, an apparatus for displaying information on a television is provided. The apparatus includes a digital satellite processing element that receives digital communication signals from at least one satellite, the digital satellite processing element converting the received digital communication signals into a form that can be displayed on the television, and an Internet processing element that receives computer network communication signals from the Internet and converts the received computer network communication signals into a form that can be displayed on the television, the Internet processing element receiving the converted digital communication signals from the digital satellite processing element and displaying the converted digital communication signals and the converted computer network communication signals on the television.